Tray fastening devices for modular shelving

ABSTRACT

A shelving assembly includes four spaced apart posts each having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end; a plurality of trays each including four positioning tubes on its four corners adapted to securely sleeve onto the posts; and a plurality of sets of four tray fastening members each including a truncated conic inner sleeve having a first element and a mated second element adapted to matingly engage with the first element for securely sleeving onto the positioning tube; and a truncated conic outer sleeve having a first member and a mated second member adapted to matingly engage with the first member for securely sleeving onto the inner sleeve. Preferably, the inner sleeve is plastic and the outer sleeve is metal. In a case of detaching one or more broken inner sleeves, a user may simply detach one or more outer sleeve(s) prior to removing the broken inner sleeve(s)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to modular shelving and more particularly to an adjustable shelving assembly having a plurality of sets of four improved fastening members in which each set is adapted to releasably secure a tray to four posts of the shelving assembly.

2. Related Art

Adjustable shelving assemblies are very popular because they are adapted to provide a user with the flexibility to assemble or build shelving units to the desired configurations and needs. A well known adjustable shelving assembly as disclosed in China Utility Model Patent No. CN2658455Y is shown in FIG. 1. The shelving assembly comprises four spaced apart posts 3, a plurality of rectangular trays (two are shown but not labeled), each tray having four positioning tubes 1 on its four corners, and a plurality of sets of four truncated conic sleeves 2. Each sleeve 2 consists of two identical halves. To assemble the assembly, a set of four sleeves 2 is adapted to put on the posts 3 at an equal height. Next, four positioning tubes 1 of one tray are sleeved onto the sleeves 2. Since an inner diameter of the positioning tube 1 is smaller than an outer diameter of a bottom of the sleeve 2, the positioning tubes 1 frictionally engage with and are restricted by the bottoms of the sleeves 2. Other trays can be fixd to the four posts 11 at another height in the same manner.

But this is unsatisfactory for the purpose for which the invention is concerned for the following reason: For example, in a case of detaching one or more sleeves 2 (e.g., broken ones) of equal height, a user has to detach any tray and sets of four sleeves 2 (if any) above the desired sleeve(s) 2 and the tray secured to the desired sleeve(s) 2 in advance. This is very inconvenient especially when the number of trays to be detached is large. Thus, a need for improvement exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shelving assembly comprising four spaced apart posts each having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end; a plurality of trays each including four positioning tubes on its four corners adapted to securely sleeve onto the posts; and a plurality of sets of four tray fastening members each including a truncated conic inner sleeve having a first element and a mated second element adapted to matingly engage with the first element for securely sleeving onto the positioning tube; and a truncated conic outer sleeve having a first member and a mated second member adapted to matingly engage with the first member for securely sleeving onto the inner sleeve. By utilizing the present invention, in a case of detaching one or more inner sleeves (e.g., broken ones) of equal height, a user may simply detach one or more outer sleeve(s) prior to removing the broken inner sleeve(s).

In one aspect of the present invention the inner sleeve is formed of plastic and the outer sleeve is formed of metal.

In another aspect of the present invention the first element comprises a projection on one side and a recess on the other side, and the second element comprises a projection on the other side and a recess on one side, and wherein the projection of the first element is adapted to matingly engage with the recess of the second element, and the projection of the second element is adapted to matingly engage with the recess of the first element.

In a further aspect of the present invention the first member comprises an upper protrusion on either side and the second member comprises a lower protrusion on either side, and wherein the upper protrusions of the first member are adapted to matingly engage with the lower protrusions of the second member.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional adjustable shelving assembly;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of tray fastening member for adjustable shelving assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled tray fastening member in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable shelving assembly incorporating the tray fastening members of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a tray fastening member 100 for a shelving assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a truncated conic inner sleeve 10 formed of plastic. The inner sleeve 10 consists of two mated pieces in which one includes a rectangular projection 12 on one side and a rectangular recess 11 on the other side, and the other one includes a rectangular projection 12 on the other side and a rectangular recess 11 on one side such that two pieces of the inner sleeve 10 can be matingly engaged together.

The tray fastening member 100 further comprises an outer sleeve 20 of truncated conic shape. The outer sleeve 20 is formed of metal and consists of two mated pieces 21 and 22 in which one piece 21 includes a lower protrusion 23 on either side and the other piece 22 includes an upper protrusion 23 on either side. Thus, two pieces 21 and 22 of the outer sleeve 20 can be matingly engaged together.

Referring to FIG. 4, a shelving assembly 200 constructed in accordance with the invention is shown. The shelving assembly 200 comprises four spaced apart posts 202 each having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, three rectangular trays 201 each having four positioning tubes (not labeled) on its four corners adapted to securely sleeve onto the posts 202, and a plurality of sets of four tray fastening members 100 in which the inner sleeves 10 of each set are sleeved onto and frictionally engaged with the four positioning tubes of one tray 201, and the outer sleeves 20 of each set are sleeved onto and frictionally engaged with the inner sleeves 10 of each set.

In a case of detaching one or more inner sleeves 10 (e.g., broken ones) of equal height, a user may simply detach one or more outer sleeve(s) 20 prior to removing the broken inner sleeve(s) 10.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

1. A shelving assembly comprising: four spaced apart posts each having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end; a plurality of trays each including four positioning tubes on its four corners adapted to securely sleeve onto the posts; and a plurality of sets of four tray fastening members each including a truncated conic inner sleeve having a first element and a mated second element adapted to matingly engage with the first element for securely sleeving onto the positioning tube; and a truncated conic outer sleeve having a first member and a mated second member adapted to matingly engage with the first member for securely sleeving onto the inner sleeve.
 2. The shelving assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner sleeve is formed of plastic.
 3. The shelving assembly of claim 1, wherein the first element comprises a projection on one side and a recess on the other side, and the second element comprises a projection on the other side and a recess on one side, and wherein the projection of the first element is adapted to matingly engage with the recess of the second element, and the projection of the second element is adapted to matingly engage with the recess of the first element.
 4. The shelving assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve is formed of metal.
 5. The shelving assembly of claim 1, wherein the first member comprises an upper protrusion on either side and the second member comprises a lower protrusion on either side, and wherein the upper protrusions of the first member are adapted to matingly engage with the lower protrusions of the second member. 